Federalist Papers

There are 85 individual essays that make up the Federalist Papers. Click here to read them. While it is not necessary to read all of them there are several that stand out as noteworthy and often appear in DBQs. I highly recommend reading through some of the most important ones as listed below.

Federalist No. 10, in which Madison discusses the means of preventing rule by majority faction and advocates a large, commercial republic, is generally regarded as the most important of the 85 articles from a philosophical perspective;

it is complemented by Federalist No. 14, in which Madison takes the measure of the United States, declares it appropriate for an extended republic, and concludes with a memorable defense of the constitutional and political creativity of the Federal Convention.

In Federalist No. 84, Hamilton makes the case that there is no need to amend the Constitution by adding a Bill of Rights, insisting that the various provisions in the proposed Constitution protecting liberty amount to a bill of rights.

Federalist No. 78, also written by Hamilton, lays the groundwork for the doctrine of judicial review by federal courts of federal legislation or executive acts.

In Federalist No. 39, Madison presents the clearest exposition of what has come to be called "Federalism".

In Federalist No. 51, Madison distills arguments for checks and balances in a memorable essay often quoted for its justification of government as "the greatest of all reflections on human nature."

Anti-Federalist Papers

In contrast to Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay who supported ratification of the Constitution of the united States, many others did not. While the former's works were more logically organized (and eventually won the debate), the AntiFederalist writers were nonetheless articulate. Serious questions were raised which eventually led to some of the Federalist writings that served as answers to allegations of the Anti-Federalists. There are 85 essays that make up the Anti-Federalist Papers as well which can be readhere.